


The Start of a New Beginning

by shadowmere14



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Adventure, Aloy can't figure out her feelings, Depression, F/F, Flashbacks, Friends to Lovers, Lesbians, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Romance, Slow Burn, Trigger Warnings, Violence, Vulnerability, deep thoughts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-06
Updated: 2018-08-28
Packaged: 2019-03-27 22:52:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13890828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowmere14/pseuds/shadowmere14
Summary: Ember, a woman awoken to do her mission a thousand years after Zero Day, finds herself slowly falling for her mission objective, Aloy.





	1. Prologue

In the year 2066, the world was on its way to destruction. The Faro Plague was killing everything to be converted to biofuel and humanity was on its way to extinction. Very few knew the true purpose of Zero Dawn, the so called super-weapon designed to stop the Plague. I was one of those few.

I enlisted myself to be part of Operation Enduring Victory, the total slaughter of millions to give Zero Dawn and its crew the time they needed to get everything made for the world to be made again hundreds and maybe even thousands of years later. Though my purpose in Enduring Victory was not to be put on the flont lines, but to put all the information of Zero Dawn on my Focus, then when I got the okay on Day Zero, to go to sleep and wake up a thousand years later.

I didn't know Dr. Sobeck personally, but she gave me the task of finding her genetical clone that would be around the age of nineteen that GAIA made so HADES would be stopped from making the Plague happen again. When I was first briefed on this task, I was scared shitless. I had never feared death; I had more than a few run ins with it. The fear came from seeing the world a thousand years later, scarred by the Plague. I was chosen out of a pool of two hundred candidates for this task. I guess my physical build, years of training, my dedication to the Earth, and love of nature spiked Sobeck's interest.

When Day Zero came, I got the transmission that GAIA was able to be booted up completely with all of her functions. Then Sobeck personally gave me a holo visit, telling me that she was going to sacrifice herself to fix the door. Before the message ended, so told me if her clone didn't know where to find her body before we met, that I needed to give her clone the coordinates to Sobeck's home. With that, I fell into a deep slumper.

My name is Ember, and this is my story.


	2. Start

I heard a voice, very distinct and very familiar, but very far away. Where was I? Is it time for my mission? Was it really a thousand years later? Did the Earth survive? My eyes opened and saw faint blue light all around me. This must be the bunker that I went to sleep in. Was the backup power on? I don't remember blue lights when I went to sleep. Everything was blurry, like I was looking under water for the first time. I looked around trying to gain my bearings. There it was, that voice again. I touched my right ear, feeling for my Focus, but it wasn't there. Panic started setting in. _Calm down, spaz. You took it off before going to sleep_.

I stepped forward, wanting to stretch, get my blood moving and get my vision back in order. That's when I stumbled and felt strong arms catch me. "Whoa there. Easy now." I heard in that voice. That voice... why does it sound so familiar? I know I've heard it somewhere, but this voice is slightly different, it's slightly gruffy, but gentle. My vision cleared at that moment and then I realized, I was looking at her, Sobeck's clone. Was my mission that simple? Something told me otherwise.

 

"I'm," cough "okay." I fell into a coughing fit, my voice weak, my throat dry and out of shape. I guess it has been a thousand years since I last spoke.

 

Sobeck's clone offered what looked like a waterskin, worn leather touched my hands and I eagerly drank the water. I coughed again, my throat, no, my whole body convulsing slightly. Was my body going into shock? She was still holding onto my, supporting me while my body racked with shivers. It was cold, very cold. I started seeing my breath as I started wheezing.

 

"Warmth. Need warmth." was all I could wheeze out before my vision went black.

 

"Ember, please stay with me. Spaz, please open your eyes. We're almost to the hospital. Ember, please." I heard someone talking to me, pleading. Oh right. I remember. This was the time when I went hunting and nearly fell face first into a bear trap. I somehow barely made it so my body turned and the trap caught my lower back. The next thing I remember, my girlfriend, no fiancée, was telling me to stay with her as she sped off to the hospital. I remember feeling warm blood seeping into my clothes, seeing red everywhere, on everything.  _Am I going to die?_

 

I heard something moving. A fire was crackling, a piece of wood tossed into the flame, someone cursing quietly. Furs, I felt furs around me. I opened my eyes. Wood, furs, fire, her. Her hair was as red as the flame burning in front of her, braids falling in a mess behind her. She had what looked like very warm and furry leather armor on, her boots sitting by the fire to dry. I noticed a very intricate spear was propped up against the side of the fireplace. A complex and hardy bow as well as its quiver were next to the spear. We made eye contact and for the first time in over a thousand years, I felt something stir deep within me.

 

"I'm glad to see you're awake. I was really worried about you." She got up and walked over to me. I felt the bed give slightly as she sat down by my feet.

 

"Do you need more water? Food? I caught a rabbit a few hours ago and the stew should be almost ready." All I could do was nod, my throat feeling very raw.

 

I grabbed the waterskin that was sitting on the table next to the bed and nearly drank the entire amount in one gulp. Feeling my throat loosen up, I opened my mouth to speak, but only a squeak came out.

 

"It's okay. Don't push yourself too much. Here, this will help." A bowl was offered to me. I slowly sat up and took the bowl, slowly sipping the hot liquid.

 

_This is exactly how I remember rabbit tasting, but there is a slight bitter taste..._ As if she could read my thoughts, "I also put some hintergold in there to help with your recovery. That little plant is good for a lot of things despite the bitterness."

 

I nodded and continued sipping the stew until it was gone. I set the bowl on the table that was sitting next to the bed, the bowl landing next to the almost empty waterskin.

 

Warmth. I felt it in every part of my body. My muscles, tendons, joints, even my bones. Strength. That's what this is. My body knew it very well. I stretched, feeling muscles in my arms, back, stomach, and legs coil then uncoil. _Should I go ahead and delve into my mission? Maybe I should rest more._ I silently debated to myself what my next plan of action would be. I looked up, seeing hazel eyes watching my the entire time. My cheeks flush, only just realizing that I wasn't wearing anything underneath these furs. _Spaz, you're fine. How many times had you been naked in front of another woman? Too many to count. Get yourself together Spaz._

 

"Is there something on my face?" I ask, chuckling slightly. I think I see a blush form on her cheeks, but that might be due to the fire.

 

"N-no you don't. I've never seen an Old One alive before, well you know, in this present moment." She is so cute when flustered. _Wait, what? Spaz, seriously. Get it together._

 

"Old One? You mean someone before all of this?" A nod. That's a good sign.

 

"I'm Ember. What may I call you?"

 

"Aloy." Aloy, what a beautiful name. "Okay Aloy, can I ask a few questions?" Another nod and a hand placed on my knee.

 

"Do you know about GAIA, the Faro Plague, and Zero Dawn?" My voice is a little shaky, not knowing where this might go.

 

"Yes I do. I stopped HADES about a month ago. I'm still trying to understand everything."

 

"Then you know about Elisabet Sobeck? What she did, and where her body is now?" A nod and a sharp intake of breath.

 

"Did you know her, you know, in your time?" A question that was asked so quietly that I almost missed it. That's when I notice that she has a Focus. I look around for mine.

 

"It might be easier if I showed you. Did you happen to see my Focus?"

 

Aloy gets up and goes over to her pack, retrieving the device. Before she hands it to me, I say, "You can go ahead and put it on. I'm sure I would just make things even more complicated."

 

I watch her sit back down, open the menus and watched all the transmissions in my log. Hours have gone by and I'm still watching Aloy go through all of the files, even looking at my classified records. She stops there, stopping at the line that reads Spouse: Renae Stormbrook: deceased. I reach for the chain that is still hanging around my neck after all this time, loud clinking noises following me taking off the chain. Aloy is watching me the entire time, an expression that I can't describe on her face.

 

"She-she... she died making sure that I got to the bunker safely. She stood there, shooting at that thing, being the one person that stopped my death over and over again, for the last time. She yelled and screamed the whole damn time, her rage fueling her despair. We looked at each other for the last time, her smile gone. She was crying, her eyes bloodshot from days of no sleep. She didn't even get to finish saying those wonderful three words before that-that machine pierced her chest. She crumpled to the ground just feet away from me, blood pooling everywhere. The bunker door closed and sealed then, leaving me scarred and alone." I finish, tears silently falling down my cheeks.

 

"Was she your mate?" Aloy asks very quietly.

 

"Almost. We got matching rings. We were going to get married the spring after I proposed to her… then the Plague happened." I hold the ring to my chest, tears falling harder.

 

"I'm sorry… I-I can leave you alone," Aloy stutters out, hastily getting up. I reach for her wrist, accidentally grabbing her hand.

 

"Please don't go Aloy. May I show you what she looked like?" I ask timidly, blushing ever so slightly. _This reminds me of when Renae and I first started talking._ A nod and Aloy sits back down beside me. I notice she hasn't removed her hand from mine. _Does she mind or is she just being kind?_ I direct Aloy to the place in my Focus where I keep all of Renae's files. Everything is there for Aloy to see, every picture, video, news article that had Renae in it.

 

"She is-was very pretty." I hear Aloy correct herself.

 

Renae was the definition of beauty. She had cocoa brown skin that was soft as silk, brown eyes that changed to either lighter or darker hues depending on her mood, dark brown hair that appeared black, and a smile that could brighten even the cloudiest of days.

 

"She was. She saved me every time death came to visit me. That's actually how we met. She talked me out of taking my life. I don't know how she did it. She broke through every wall, every boundary, just to tell me that my life was worth living. She told me that if I thought no one would miss me, that she would. That the beautiful stranger she just met meant the world to her. And she meant that." I sharply take in a breath, shaking slightly. "So when I enlisted myself in Operation Enduring Victory, she understood and stood by me every step of the way. She said no matter what happened to either of us, no matter where we went, she would always follow." I take in another breath, feeling Aloy tighten her hand around mine.

 

"I had someone like that too. Not a mate, I don't have one if ever, but someone who was a father to me. He took care of me, trained me to hunt, trained me to live, and sacrificed his life to save mine. His name was Rost" Aloy sighs, getting up and letting go of my hand. "I'm going to go hunting for dinner. I'll be back soon." she says as she grabs her pack, bow, quiver, and spear.

 

"Aloy?" I call her name as she opens the door. She looks back, our eyes meet and I nearly lose my breath. The setting sun frames her face with the perfect amount of light, her hazel eyes appearing brighter in the sun. "Was that too much?" She smiles, no, smirks.

 

"If you're afraid of scaring me off, it will take more than that Ember." With that, she closes the door behind her, snow crunching under her feet as she walks away.

 

_Renae, looks like you did follow me._


	3. Budding

Leaves crunch under my feet, guiding me along trails left by many different animals. Kneeling down, I inspect a set of animal prints. Boar, and a lot of them. The tracks seem fairly fresh, maybe a few hours old. I look up to the sky, noting how far in the sky the sun is.  _I should be able to find an outcrop soon_ _._ I get up and keep following the trail.

 

It's been a while since I've hunted a boar. I remember my first and nearly deadly encounter with one. I was following a trail for a few days, finally finding their nesting area for the day. I was trying to climb up into a tree so I could be at a vantage point, but my foot slipped and I fell, right into the middle of the boars. I heard squeals and snorts all around me. My vision was blurry at the time and my legs hurt like hell. I tried getting up, stumbling and falling further into the pit of angry boars. My vision cleared at the last second, my feet at the edge of a cliff. The boars had me cornered. I had two choices, jump off the cliff to the river below and maybe live, or run straight through the herd and get mauled to death. I chose to run.

 

Running straight through the herd had me in the hospital for weeks. I had deep gashes all along my body, and both of my ankles were sprained. I learned my lesson after that.

 

“Ember.” A nudge. “Ember.” Another nudge. “Ember!” I startled awake, falling off the bed. 

I hear a giggle on the other side of the bed. Rubbing my head, I sit up on the floor, a blush coloring my cheeks. “Aloy, you scared the shit out of me.” Another giggle, this time with a smirk.

“If I scared you that much, then I don't see you being able to fight half the machines out there.” Aloy points toward the door. 

I get up, stretching and glaring at her playfully. “Aloy, just yesterday I took down a herd of Lancehorns, all their Watchers, and the Scrappers that showed up, without your help. I'm sure I can handle anything that's out there. When I'm awake.” Aloy giggles again, taking her boots off and starting to remove her armour.

“You also almost ran out of arrows, and nearly fell down the ravine.” A smirk.

I'm watching her take off her armour, placing them carefully next to her bed. 

 

Sure my ego was hurt a little, but I did take down all those machines by myself.

“In my defense, Aloy the Huntress, this is only my second week being here. I took down plenty of dangerous animals before the Plague. I'm just out of practice. And getting used to wearing armour is an ordeal in of itself. You saw that I made my own bow, modifications and all.” 

 

I jump over the bed, grabbing my bow and notching an arrow mid jump, then land, arrow pointed at Aloy. “You've seen how much I've improved in these past two weeks. I'm running the Brave trails as fast as you do, climbing as fast as you, and jumping as far as you. Look, I've got my abs, back, arms, and legs back! They're more defined now than they were before the Plague hit.” I lower my bow, shifting so the firelight can emphasize my muscles.

 

Aloy blushes, staring at me. I smirk, walking over to her. “What’s wrong Aloy? Glinthawk got your tongue?” I'm just inches from her, looking her in the eyes. I love teasing her like this. We play these games of cat and mouse, teasing each other, always pushing to see how far the other will go.

 

Aloy and I have gotten very close over the two weeks that I've been awake. Her personality really reminds me of Renae. Aloy is sassy, sarcastic, and very confident in herself, but she does show her softer side, when she has her moments.

 

Aloy is just a step or two away from the wall. If I play this right, I can have her pinned. She'll be a blushing and stuttering mess by that point. 

 

“Uh, um, ah.” Aloy stutters out, her face completely pink. I take a step forward, causing her to take a step back.  _Just one more step._

“It looks like the Glinthawk has your tongue. What a shame. I was expecting a sarcastic retort.” I take another step, Aloy stepping back again.  _Gotcha._

 

Aloy gasps, realizing her back is pressed against the wall. I put both of my hands beside her head, standing on my tiptoes to be level with her. I smirk, seeing her hazel eyes look at me intently. “You're trapped Aloy. What will you do?”

 

Aloy smirks, accepting my challenge. She catches me off guard and does the unexpected. I feel her grab my waist, pushing me forward slightly and trips me. She catches me before I fall, turns us around so our positions are reversed, and pins me against the wall. She presses her hips against mine to emphasize how she's in control now, that smirk still on her face.

 

I'm gasping slightly at this point, looking up into those hazel eyes of hers. She is two inches taller than me, which most of the time isn't noticeable. But now, pinned against the wall and her body flush with mine, the height difference is very noticeable. I feel my face and ears warm, knowing that she has won this round.

 

“What's wrong Ember? Glinthawk got your tongue?” Aloy says, leaning in to whisper in my ear, “Don't think I haven't caught on to your games Ember. I see everything. You're just as predictable as a Watcher. Patrolling the area, watching and studying the land, then when something alerts it, it attacks.” 

 

“What's wrong with that? If I'm so predictable, what will I do next then?” I breathily say, feeling Aloy shift slightly. So she's caught on. Then she'll know what's next.

 

“You'll attack.” She growled into my ear, pressing me harder into the wall. I gasp again and shudder. This wasn't expected.  _Well, it's now or never._

 

I wrap my arms around her waist and pull myself up on my tiptoes. I nip just below her earlobe, then breathe quietly, “Then are you the hunter or the hunted?”

 

Aloy cups my face in her hand. Her fingers are warm and calloused, strong and unwavering. Our eyes meet and I can tell I'm not the only one that is nervous. Her eyes are slightly darker, her cheeks are pink, and I can count every individual freckle on her face. Aloy has a look on her face that I can't describe, a mixture of curiosity and compassion?

 

“That depends on your answer to this question. Is this the part where I kiss you?” She asks sheepishly. 

 

I blush then gather my courage. I wrap my arms around her neck and bring her face closer to mine, leaning up and kiss her. I melt instantly. Aloy’s lips are so soft, a vast contrast to her hands. The kiss is slow, almost hesitant. Aloy then rests her hands on my hips, pulling me away from the wall. We explore each other’s lips, mapping and memorizing. I flick my tongue across her top lip, asking permission. My heart is nearly beating out of my chest.  _Renae, I'm glad you came back_ _._ I silently think to myself as Aloy opens her mouth. 

 

Our tongues clash and collide, the kiss turning into something more, something… deeper. I feel something stir deep within my body, my soul. I pull away, not sure what just happened within my body. Opening my eyes and looking up, hazel eyes meet blue, a smile appears on Aloy’s face.

 

“Aloy?”

“Yes?”

“Do you believe in soul mates? Love transcending time and space for as long as time and space exist.”


	4. Comfort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I'm so sorry for the super late update. The school year got really hectic, I had a lot of family issues come up, and the summer was super busy. My fall semester started this week, so I'll do my best to update. This chapter had to be rewritten twice. I hope you all enjoy ^^

The late spring air is chilly against my bare arms. The night sky is clear, the moon is full, and the sky is full of stars. I'm standing in an area hidden by trees that overlooks the Embrace. It must be around midnight or a little later judging by how high the moon is. This is my secret spot. Well, it's not really secret since Aloy knows where it is. Thinking of Aloy makes me smile. I've been here in this new world for a month and a half now. I can't believe it's been that long already. In that time, I've met Aloy, who originally was my mission objective, learned how to hunt the machines, strip them of their parts, and learned the entire area of the Embrace, committing it to memory. 

Aloy said we can go to Meridian at the start of the next moon. She said something about needing to check up on the Hunter’s Lodge and Talanah, see how the repairs were going to the city, and talk to Avad. I'm really excited to travel to Meridian. I love the Embrace and all that it holds, but I want to see what lies beyond the border.

I've been having trouble sleeping for the past few weeks. My mind just won't shut off. I find myself replaying the moments right before and after Renae’s death, seeing her gruesome death over and over again. I remember feeling her blood on my face, her life force splattered on me. I remember the feeling of my heart shattering even though we both knew she was going to die. I was the only one allowed to live, the only one selected for that mission. Renae, my wonderful Renae, fought so hard to keep me alive, knowing she would die while I lived. 

“Oh how life is cruel.” I remember her saying when I told her about my mission.

She continued with, “Just when I thought I had happiness, it was stripped away. Our happiness was right here, in the palms of our hands, but life just had to take it away.”

She wept in my arms for hours that night, crying herself to sleep. I stayed up that night and the next, thinking that I only had a few more months left with my love. I didn't cry. I couldn't allow myself to cry. I had to be strong for her. She needed me.

I lay down on the grass and stare up at the sky.  _ I'm sorry Renae. I'm so sorry. _ Tears stream down my face and they blur my vision. I never cried. I never mourned her death. I had to be strong, for both of us.  _ What's my purpose now? I lived for what? Aloy found out the information that I was chosen to give on her own. Aloy isn't Renae. I'm alone again. _

I sit up and draw my knees up to my chest. The tears come faster, sobs racking my body.  _ I'm not supposed to cry. I need to be strong. _

I'm so caught up in my sobbing that I didn't notice the yellow lights of a machine until it was too late. A Sawtooth is staring right at me, its eye lenses yellow, not red. I'm completely defenceless; no weapons, no armor, nothing. 

It takes a step towards me, the distance already close. Then another. I'm staring at the lenses of a Sawtooth that is mere inches from me. My body is rigid, goosebumps line my arms, and the hair at the nape of my neck is standing on end.  _ I'm going to die. There is no escaping this. _ The reality hits me like a boulder to the face. I blink, trying to think of any possible outcomes.  _ Unless Aloy suddenly shows up, I'm definitely going to die _ .

The Sawtooth makes a low grumbling sound and then it gently lays its massive metal head on top of mine. I try to steady my breathing and keep calm.  _ Stay calm Spaz. If you move, you're dead _ . I stay there, frozen in fear. The grumbling sound continues.  _ What is it doing? Wait. Is it purring? _

I have no idea what to do. This could be a new technique that the machines have been programmed with to kill humans easier. Sawtooths have never been this close to Aloy’s cabin. The other side of the river is usually as close as they get.

Hesitantly, I lift my hand and place it under the beast’s massive head. The grumbling sound gets louder. I move my hand closer to what would be its snout. The Sawtooth lowered its head to look at me in the eyes. My hand rests on its snout, my breath held deep in my chest. 

“Um, hi there. You're different compared to the other Sawtooths I've seen.”  _ Why are you talking to it Spaz? _

The Sawtooth lowers its head a little and presses its face against mine, the grumbling sounds low and soothing. I rub the beast’s massive head. The grumbling gets louder again.

“You're such a nice Sawtooth. I thought you were going to kill me. I'm still scared you're going to kill me.”  _ Shut up Spaz. _

The beast lays down then, its eyes watching me the entire time. “Do you want me to sit down beside you?”  _ You're asking to die Spaz.  _

The Sawtooth just looks at me.  _ Right. It can't talk. Good job Spaz. _ I hesitantly sit down next to the massive machine. The Sawtooth lays its head on my lap and I lean back against its body.  _ Why is this so comforting? _

“Thank you for showing up. I was feeling really alone. It gets hard sometimes, ya know? I was enjoying my life with the love of my life, then the world starts coming to an end, I'm tasked with being put into a deep slumber for a thousand years with only one objective, watch my love die while protecting me, then wake up to a completely different world. I did all of that just to find out that my objective was completed before I even woke up. Now I feel utterly useless and alone.” I'm sobbing again.  _ What is wrong with you Spaz? Get your shit figured out. _ “But thanks to you, I feel a little less alone.”

The Sawtooth makes a low grumbling sound again. It curls its body around me slightly, as if to protect me. For being made out of metal, the Sawtooth is very warm. After all of the sobbing, my body is spent. I lean back more against the feline like machine, my head resting near the machine’s shoulder. For being made of metal, the Sawtooth feels so warm. 

I feel my body slipping into unconsciousness due to all of emotional strain. I utter one word before falling asleep, “Borvo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can anyone guess what Borvo means?


End file.
